Dynamic pattern of carbon balance in the forests of federal districts of the Russian Federation

Abstract

According to the data of the State Forest Registry and the archive materials of the State Forest Fund Account carbon budget of the forests of federal districts (FDs) of Russia was calculated for the years 1988–2015. The total carbon pool of the forested lands of Russia amounted to 123.77±18.93 Gt C as of 01.01.2015. The biggest contribution to the national forest carbon pool was made by Siberian (36.4%) and the Far Eastern (35.2%) FDs followed by the Northwestern (11.3%), Ural (9.3%), Volga (4.4%), the Central (2.8%), North Caucasian (0.3%) and the Southern (0.2%) FDs. Contribution to the national forest carbon sink (206.10±66.86 Mt C yr ) by districts: the Siberian district 39.3%, the Far Eastern 15.1%, the Northwestern 12.4%, Volga 12.1%, Ural 11.0%, and the Central 8.8%. Two groups of districts stand out in terms of the average value of forest carbon sink: 1) with 0.64–0.85 t С ha year (the Central, the Southern, North Caucasian, Volga FDs), 2) with 0.11–0.33 t C ha year (the Northwestern, Ural, Siberian, the Far Eastern FDs). The magnitude of the carbon sink in the forests of the FDs was at its lowest in 1988–1993. The reduction of losses due to felling in 1993–2000 resulted in increased carbon sink in the majority of federal districts. According to the level of this increase the forests of FDs can be divided into 2 groups: 1) with a significant increase in carbon sink (by 86% and more) – the Northwestern, Ural, Siberian, the Far Eastern FDs; 2) with a moderate increase in carbon sink (by 4–46%) in the Central, the Southern, North Caucasian and Volga FDs.